The Young Old Woman
by BlossomingThought
Summary: 29-year-old Mikan's pathetic and boring life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters a woman who gives her a box of candy that is found to have magical abilities to make one younger again. Fed up with people walking all over her due to her inability to stick up for herself, Mikan takes a piece in frustration and wakes up with the mind and body of an extroverted 18-year old.
1. The Woman Named Yura And The Candy Box

**Beginning Note** : I highly recommend that you watch the 2016 Chinese Movie _Suddenly Seventeen (17 Again)_. You can easily find it online! Inspiration from this story came from that movie.

 **Synopsis** : 29-year-old Mikan has had a lot of regrets in her life. Not confessing her feelings for a boy she once loved back in her teens, not sticking up for herself when it was necessary, and remaining the greatest pushover in history. But all that changes when she comes across a woman named Yura, who gives her a box of candy that is found to have magical abilities to make one younger again. Frustrated with herself, Mikan decides to take a piece one day and from then on, her life takes an unexpected turn when she wakes up with the mind and body of an extroverted 18-year-old.

 **Disclaimer** : this story is developed from the theme of the Chinese Movie _Suddenly Seventeen_ It does not follow the same plot nor will it ever. The only similarity will be the theme but all other input and plot is my own. In addition, Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana.

* * *

 **Prologue**

 **The Woman Named Yura And The Candy Box  
**

* * *

"Once upon a time ago, there was a beautiful girl with a vibrant personality that made everyone love her. She was the sunshine that melted the icy cold hearts of any person that dared to curse her with ill intentions. Her smile made many swoon and her laughter was music to the ears of all who listened.

She was an angel in the minds of the people surrounding her.

One day, an evil and jealous witch plotted to take her down from her pedestal by creating a spell that would turn the beloved girl into a hideous creature.

For many days the witch spent a lot of time to make sure this spell would come out nice and perform well in her favor. And at last, on the tenth day, it was complete. She cackled wickedly as she closed her book of evil curses and wore her cloak as she made way to find the girl.

She happened upon her sitting under a cherry blossom tree, the girl's favorite place to rest, and the witch disguised herself as an old woman with a basket full of golden apples in her hand. The witch secretly cast her spell on the most delicious looking apple and walked over to the girl who looked up at the sudden presence.

Hello my dear, please enjoy one of these apples I freshly picked, said the witch.

But how can this be? The apples are golden! The beautiful girl said.

Oh my dear these are not just any ordinary apples; they are the kind that will make you remain in full health for the rest of your life. Please dear, take one and you will not regret it. The witch smirked behind her cloak.

If you do not mind, then I shall help myself, said the girl. She reached out to take the most delicious looking apple and brought it to her nose to sniff before opening her mouth to take a big bite of it.

This is so delicious, said the girl. Suddenly, the apple dropped from her hand and rolled from her dress and onto the grass. Her body temperature rose and her face started turning red.

What is happening to me? The girl questioned, fear evident in her eyes as she fanned her face.

The witch removed her cloak to reveal her true form and laughed at the torment the girl was facing.

Because you selfishly decided to keep all your beauty to yourself, I will be exchanging my looks for yours. You will now live a life being ridiculed for your unsightly appearance. No one will ever love you and as for me, everyone will finally worship me! The witch exclaimed, hands raising to the sky.

A dark cloud started to form and lighting struck the tree the girl was sitting under. Her body felt the electric shock of the lightening and she fell unconscious.

The witch, satisfied with her work, summoned a mirror to marvel at her new beauty. She spared a quick glance at the unconscious girl and grinned as she saw the changes happening to her. The witch then turned on her tail and walked away, leaving the girl.

The girl woke up when the next day had arrived, to the sound of gasping. Some children were standing there, looking at her in both disgust and fright as the girl stood up in confusion.

What is wrong? She asked the children who automatically screamed and picked up rocks to throw at her.

The girl lifted her hands to cover her face from being hit by the rocks and ran into the forest. Her feet kept going until she reached a lake where she dropped to her knees and looked down. Staring back was the grotesque refection of a stranger. Her fingers tentatively touched her face and she screamed, realizing it was her own.

She had become a monster.

From that day on, everyone in the village began hating her and shunning her out. She had become isolated from the public eye, meanwhile the witch was the new celebrity. The girl's unparalleled beauty that was once there was quickly forgotten and she lived her life in despair.

That was until one fateful day came upon her and she met a person who would change her life forever. Not only would she be able to get back at the witch who ruined her, she'd be given her life back as well. The end."

"Aunty Mikan, that was the worst story I have ever heard in my entire life," said a little blonde headed, lavender eyed girl who was laying comfortably under her princess themed blanket on her queen sized bed.

"Mizu-tan you're only four years old and that was the best story you would ever hear in your life," the female named Mikan said. She lowered her head to kiss the forehead of the little girl and smiled. "Now go to sleep." She then tucked her in and got up.

"Goodnight Aunty Mikan!" Mizuki shouted at the retreating figure of her mother's best friend.

"Goodnight kiddo," said Mikan who then slowly closed the door. She walked over to the stairs and descended them to meet her best friend who was busy typing away at her laptop. The female closed it when she noticed Mikan coming into the room.

"Okay Hotaru, she's sleeping now," Mikan said as she sat down on the couch beside her friend.

Hotaru tucked a hair behind her ear and shifted her body to face her guest. "Thanks for reading to her again this night, I really appreciate it," she said in gratitude.

"It's no problem," Mikan smiled. "I'm the only one that can bore her to sleep."

Hotaru snorted, "That is true."

"You got that right!" came a shout from a room across. The voice belonged to Hotaru's husband Ruka.

"Wow, thanks for agreeing with me. You're a real team player," Mikan playfully rolled her eyes behind her thick glasses.

"You're welcome. It's my job as your best friend to tease you."

Ruka came into the room with two cups of tea in his hands. "For you two," he said and placed the cups down on the small table in front of the ladies.

Mikan reached out to the cup and carefully lifted it on its plate to raise the rim of the cup to her lips. "Ack, it's hot!" she spat when the piping hot liquid touched her tongue.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize the temperature was that high!" Ruka apologized.

Hotaru, who was casually sipping her cup, shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what's going on with your tea but mine is perfectly fine." Her nose wrinkled when Mikan suddenly inserted her index finger into her tea. "That is unsanitary," Hotaru frowned. "And now I can't drink it anymore."

"Ruka, why is hers at a respectable temperature but mine is threatening to give me third degree burns?" Mikan demanded, accusation in her tone.

"I'm being honest when I say that the tea came out of the same pot. I don't understand why yours was so warm compared to Hotaru's," Ruka confessed.

"I think it's safe to say that it has to do with her terrible luck," Hotaru commented.

Mikan groaned and tapped her forehead. "Perfect," she sarcastically said. "I need to get home anyway before the landlord goes crazy about me being past my curfew."

"Do you want either of us to give you a ride because we can if you want? It's also faster than taking the bus," suggested Hotaru.

Mikan shook her head and stood up. "No, I don't want to trouble any of you. Besides, I like taking the bus. Helps me think."

"If you say so," Ruka said. He and Hotaru got up as well and led Mikan to the front door to see her out. The three of them said their goodbyes and Mikan walked over to the bus station where she sat on the bench and waited patiently for the bus to come. She busied herself by browsing videos of her cat which currently awaited her arrival at home.

"So cute," she cooed to herself as she watched her cat chasing a laser pen dot on the carpet.

The pitter patter of the rain sound echoed in her ears and Mikan forced her head up in shock. She had not brought an umbrella with her that day because the forecast predicted a clear weather all day.

"Darn," She pressed the phone to her chest and moved further back into the bus station shelter to avoid getting hit by rain droplets. "This bus better come soon," she prayed.

Her prayer was answered when the bus lights shone in the distance. She smiled happily as it stopped in front of her and the doors opened. Up the stairs, she reached into her pocket for change and inserted it into the coin slot, then sat down on one of the empty seats. She took out her earphones and plugged it into her cellphone to continue watching her cat videos.

"That old woman is so weird. She's always sitting in the bus and watching cat videos," a high school girl who was sitting behind Mikan, whispered to her friend beside her.

"I noticed too!" hissed her friend. "Gosh I hope I never end up like her when I get older."

Now, in spite of the earphones being in, Mikan could hear everything the two younger girls were saying. It didn't come as a surprise to her as she was a hot topic when it came to the youth that rode the bus. No, it was not because of her imaginative beautiful appearance. It was because she served as a reminder to the girls that rode the bus that Mikan was the person they aspired not to be. Being the way she was, Mikan accepted it.

The crazy, nerdy, and plain looking aging woman whose past time was looking at videos of her cat.

In all honesty, it felt pitiful.

The bus came to a screeching halt and her body lost balance and flung forward.

"Ow," Mikan said when her head hit the back of a seat.

"You all get out. The bus is experiencing some difficulties so you'll have to get another ride," the driver announced, to the dismay of all the grumbling passengers who filed out of the vehicle and into the pouring rain.

Mikan took a look at her surroundings and realized that she was still far from her home. By the looks of it, it would be a half an hour drive by taxi but she did not have money for one. In depressive conclusion, the only way to get back would be through the power of her feet.

Boy was it a tiresome walk. She was soaking wet, her vision blurred by the rain droplets on her lenses, and her legs were begging to her to give up. To make matters worse, her phone battery was dying. She huffed and decided to take shelter under a covering connected to a building until the rain let up. The journey didn't need that handicap.

She stood under the covering for who knows how long until the pouring rain became drizzles. On the way back to her apartment, she encountered a woman who was sitting on a blanket with a box and an unopen umbrella both set on a blanket. She gave Mikan a wide grin and beckoned her to come over.

Mikan cautiously walked over, eyebrow raised at the peculiar woman who dressed in a strange style. "Did you need something?"

"Hello Mikan!" The woman shouted, causing Mikan who did not expect her to know her name, to flinch.

"Hi?"

"The name's Yura. Are you looking for a new fate?" questioned the woman named Yura. She went straight to the point.

"Uh . . ."

"Oh don't hesitate to answer. I can tell by your aura that your whole life, you have suffered terrible luck. But that won't last any longer because I have something special for you," said the woman.

"Can we first establish how you know my name?"

"Never mind those trivial questions! Do you want to change your fate or not?" Yura nudged on.

"I . . . suppose. My life isn't all too dandy," Mikan replied. "But how will it change?"

Yura lifted up the box and handed it to Mikan. "Wait till you get home before you open this box. In it is a treat that will help you gain the luck you never had."

Mikan crouched down and placed the box back on the blanket. "Actually can I get the umbrella instead and you can take the box back?"

"I can give you both the umbrella and the box. But to get the umbrella, you must take the box," Yura proposed. She crossed her arms in satisfaction when she saw the defeated look on Mikan's face as the girl took both objects in her hands.

"Thank you," Mikan said and then waved with the hand holding the umbrella.

"Don't forget to open the box after you get home," Yura reminded her.

Mikan nodded and opened up her new umbrella, then proceeded back in the direction she was headed. She stopped for a moment to look back at the woman she had just met but was surprised to find her gone.

"How weird," Mikan mumbled to herself and continued walking. It took her an hour to finally get back to the apartment and was strangely lucky to get in before apartment curfew. She closed the door behind her and took of her shoes, leaving the umbrella to dry at the foyer but the box still in hand.

"Hi Whiskers!" she cooed at her furry friend who scurried over to her. The feline purred while it rubbed against her feet. "Good kitty," she fluffed the fur of her cat with her free hand and then carefully walked over it so she could set the box down on the kitchen table.

After taking a much needed warm shower, she tiredly walked back into the kitchen to finally open the box. She sat down on a chair and pushed the box in front of her then gently lifted the lid only to feel a cold rush of disappoint wash over her.

"Are you kidding me? She gave me candy?!"

* * *

 **End Note** : And here ends the prologue to this new story. It just came to mind after I watched the movie and I thought it would be a good idea to write something with a similar theme.

 _Confession:_ I have an obsession when it comes to creating the next best story. When an idea comes to mind, I lose sight of my previous ideas in my other stories and then I ultimately am unable to produce. And I don't want to force a chapter out if I don't think it'll be any good. I'm sorry that I'm like this but I think that for me, it takes time before I am motivated again to go back. And although I'm grateful for the reviews I have gotten on any of them, I feel like the little I get must mean that the story is uninteresting. So then I feel the need to try to either make it better or come up with something that will catch reader's attention. I just hope that this story is well received. I'll try my absolute best to make it worth a read. The only story I will have completed is _Her_ since it's a short. As for the other two, I will take a Hiatus for them. I don't plan on updating them any time soon but will continue typing chapters for them for upload in the future I return to them.

Thanks for reading. Please review and tell me what you think?

 _Rated T for minor adult themes and language._

 **Proof-read** : 3/22/2017

 **Author: Napperon**


	2. It's Time For A Change!

**Beginning Note** : Everytime I post this chapter I keep being presented with an error message. I'm trying again so please let me know if you're able to see this chapter!

 **Synopsis** : 29-year-old Mikan has had a lot of regrets in her life. Not confessing her feelings for a boy she once loved back in her teens, not sticking up for herself when it was necessary, and remaining the greatest pushover in history. But all that changes when she comes across a woman named Yura, who gives her a box of candy that is found to have magical abilities to make one younger again. Frustrated with herself, Mikan decides to take a piece one day and from then on, her life takes an unexpected turn when she wakes up with the mind and body of an extroverted 18-year-old.

 **Disclaimer** : this story is developed from the theme of the Chinese Movie _Suddenly Seventeen_. It does not follow the same plot nor will it ever. The only similarity will be the theme but all other input and plot is my own. In addition, Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana.

* * *

 **It's Time For A Change!**

* * *

 _Unlucky. A word I know all too well for my liking._

 _The same word that has plagued my family for centuries._

 _My mother used to tell me that our troubles resulted from the misfortune of an ancestor. This ancestor's suffering could have been avoided if it were not for her beauty._

 _Well, original beauty for the matter._

 _So growing up, my mother recited the same line over and over again: You will only find misfortune in beauty._

 _She warned me to stay away from societal notions of beauty as the standards were unrealistic and troublesome. What I needed to focus on was my future success._

 _But that success is still a reach._

 _For as long as I've been alive, never in my life did I believe anything could get better._

 _The curse of bad luck followed me everywhere I went, bothering me to exhaustion._

 _Where it began, I don't know. I never did fall victim to the ancestor story. But why it started is the begging question._

* * *

"Are you listening Miss Sakura?"

Listening wasn't the issue but understanding the task being delegated was. Sakura Mikan pushed the drooping glasses up the bridge of her nose. The rims were so wide and lens so thick that getting a clear depiction of her facial features was virtually impossible. She rubbed her nose, a gesture the person who asked her the question, found revolting.

"Please use the sanitizer before you touch anything." Mikan inspected her finger and shrugged her shoulders. Nothing of the slimy sort rested on the span of her finger. She was just getting rid of an itch. "Anyway, complete the items on this list and report to the boss before tomorrow morning." She was handed, or more like tossed, a sheet filled with numerous items impossible to finish by the end of the day.

"This is a lot to push on one person," Mikan grumbled. "I don't think I can get it all done before tomorrow morning."

"Then get a head start now." The sound of footsteps echoed as Mikan watched the retreating figure with contempt.

"Goodness, they always leave me with the heavy load of work to do," she bemoaned to herself and sat down in her cubicle revolving seat in a huff. As expected from her terrible luck, the chair rolled back from the sudden force and she fell on her bottom. A couple coworkers paused to watch her in amusement. "How embarrassing," she muttered before getting back up onto her seat.

Just as she started getting work done, another coworker of hers bothered her with an errand. "Hey Miss Sakura," said her male coworker named Mori Reo.

Mikan stopped typing on her keyboard and turned her head with a tight lipped smile. "Yes?" She didn't like this particular colleague of hers because of his habit of dropping his tasks on her. Instead of doing his job like he was supposed to, he spent time flirting with the other female workers, with the exception of her. His reputation stood as the aloof playboy who had the favor of the boss.

"Boss asked me to hand deliver this document to Sono Enterprise but I'm tied up right now with … ahem … other stuff at the moment," Reo said as his eyes wandered to a particularly attractive popular female in the office named Harada Misaki.

"I don't know because I already have all these items to get done," Mikan said as she held up the list. Normally she would have simply done the task with no complaints, but this time was different. A certain someone at the enterprise worked there and she absolutely did not want to see him by chance.

Reo ruffled his auburn hair and grinned, a silver premolar tooth showed. It was probably in place for aesthetic reasons. "C'mon man just this one time? Please, for me?" He pleaded with both hands clasped.

"But-" Mikan hesitated. She nervously bit her lip and her fingers curled in causing her knuckles to turn white.

"I won't ask you to do anything for me ever again after this." A blatant lie.

Mikan groaned as she rested her palms on her forehead. "You always say that," she muttered. Just speaking to him stressed her out.

"Okay but this time I'm serious," said Reo. He was never serious and would never be.

"Just give me the document," Mikan held out her hand without not looking at him. The envelope was given to her and she placed it on her desk.

"Thanks, you're a real pal. Have it delivered before 4pm or boss will get upset," Reo directed her, giving her a smirk before sauntering off after the office beauty.

Mikan heaved a sigh and stood up, document in hand. She rummaged through her purse and took out her beloved cellphone. The enterprise was located at a building a couple blocks away. She could get there in under ten minutes if her legs didn't fail her through the bustling crowd of commuters. She tucked her phone into her pants pocket and proceeded out the door of the office and down the glimmering hallway, curtesy of the sanitation staff.

A breeze fanned her face when the exit opened and she walked outside. Thank heavens she wore pants or the wind could expose her to the world. Her block heels clacked on the pavement as she made way to the dreaded building. Each step felt heavier the closer she got and her desire to turn around and run away exponentially rose. Her breathing quickened when the building came up in view and she paused for a moment.

"Oh goodness," She bemoaned, pressing the document closer to her chest. "I need to calm down, least I add further ridicule to myself," she prepped herself. After getting her breaths to slow down, she continued walking until she entered the building and reached the receptionist.

"Can I help you?" the monotonous voice of the receptionist deadpanned. He looked up at Mikan with expressionless eyes.

"I am supposed to deliver this envelope to Mr. Sono," Mikan replied. She scanned the reception area, taking in the atmosphere. There was an unhealthy amount of plants for show that made her eyes water. She figured it was an omen from the person she did not want to come across, that if she encountered him, it would mean bad news.

She focused her attention back to the receptionist who was busy with a telephone to his ear. "Mom, I told that you I don't want to go to an arranged marriage meeting. Stop introducing me to these ugly women," he barked into the phone. The volume of his voice resonated throughout the room, catching everyone's attention.

Mikan looked down, concealing her face with her locks. "Excuse me?" she said in hopes she could get the male's attention away from the telephone.

"What?" the receptionist snapped.

"I-I just need to deliver this and then leave," Mikan said.

The receptionist rolled his eyes. "Hand it over," he commanded her to which Mikan quickly followed. "Thirteenth floor," he said and gave the envelope back to her.

"Huh?" Mikan rose a brow. She didn't think this man was going to make her go all the way up to deliver the file. Couldn't she just leave it with him so their mail carriers could come get it? Something was telling her that he was being lazy.

"Do you have any further questions?" he drawled out, clearly distracted.

"Is it possible to leave it with you? I have to hurry back to my office and get work done," she asked.

"We don't do charity work here. You have two working feet so why not do it yourself?" the receptionist haughtily said.

Just as Mikan was about to say something, the elevator next the reception desk dinged and out came Sono Kaname: her worst enemy.

Alright, worst enemy was a bit harsh to use.

He existed as the man that dumped her back in high school, one week into their relationship. His excuse was that his poor grandmother contracted pneumonia and he needed to care for her. Initially, Mikan felt sympathetic towards his situation until she discovered the lie behind their relationship. She was a bet all along and the rule was Kaname had to last seven days before calling it quits for a couple hundred dollars.

The insult came from being worth only a couple hundred dollars.

Never mind that. Someone else had her heart. Besides, getting hung up over a man she knew only for a week was ridiculous. She didn't like even him. Someone showing interest in her made it exciting.

"Mikan?" Kaname said when he caught site of her. Mikan mentally screamed and forced herself to look at him. So she still couldn't shake the feeling of irritation whenever he was around. But she could muster up the courage to face him in order to lessen the burden of his presence.

"Hello," she managed to utter out.

"Fancy seeing you here." Kaname cheekily grinned at her, slightly aware of the effect his presence had on her. "Why are you here? Did you miss me that much?" he questioned. It was obvious how much he enjoyed teasing her.

Mikan thrusted the envelope in his direction and spat out, "This is for you." For once she was glad the thick rimmed spectacles kept her expression from being easily deciphered.

Kaname plucked the envelope out of her hand and tossed it to his bewildered receptionists who got smacked right in the face with the file. "Rui, have the mail carriers send it to my office," he instructed him. Mikan watched as the receptionist made a face and grumbled behind Kaname.

"I will be leaving now," she bowed her head and then tried to make a getaway but the grip on her forearm prevented her from reaching freedom.

"It's been so long since I last seen you. Why don't we get coffee?" Kaname suggested.

Mikan pulled her arm out of his grasp and spoke, "I have work to do." And it was a legitimate reason. She didn't forget the fact that there lay a long list of items to finish, waiting patiently on her desk back at the office.

Kaname clicked his tongue and leaned forward, his lips nearing her ears. "If you change your mind I'll be here." That was enough to get her feet moving out of the building, leaving a cloud of imaginary smoke in her wake.

* * *

She made it back to the building and to her desk only to see that her coworkers had left more of their assigned work for her to do. "Why?!" she groused. A female coworker sitting at the cubicle in front of her, reached out with a snickers bar in hand and Mikan gave her an incredulous look.

"Have a snicker," the female said, trying to bite back a smile. "You're not you when you're angry." A couple snorts came from beside them and Mikan then understood it was supposed to be a joke. Not in the mood to go along with it, she took the candy bar and placed it in her desk drawer.

"Thanks," she responded back, ignoring the annoyance that crossed her coworker's face, and sat down to continue her work.

"No fun," she heard the female say.

While Mikan typed up documents on the computer and ran around the office doing errands, the number of people dwindled with each passing hour. Soon only she remained in the office, with the exception of the boss who stayed late to get a head start for the next day.

She intertwined her fingers and stretched her arms up. The time read 7pm, three hours past clock out and she wouldn't even get paid for overtime work. A headache felt soon coming so she decided to take a short break to scroll through social media on her phone.

And it was the same old news. Old classmates getting hitched, having kids, or earning promotions at their dream jobs. Meanwhile, Mikan had a firm position in a menial job that hardly paid the bills. Not like her apartment even held a five-star rating, two star at best. So the bills could hardly be characterized as expensive for a middle class citizen. But in her case, it was.

A thought popped up in her mind and she slowly turned her head to peek at the lit office of her boss, before turning back to her phone.

 **Hyuuga Natsume**

She typed the name in the search bar of the active application. A handsome face popped up on the screen and she kept scrolling down through the feed.

"I wonder if he's still with that Koizumi girl?" she pondered while flipping through images. "Hmm no pictures. Maybe they aren't together anymore?" She smiled to herself at the thought of it being a possibility. Chances were he could be single for a few weeks before finding the next A-lister to indulge in.

Mikan didn't know why the probability made her so giddy. It's not like a guy like him would ever consider her. Her role in this life was to be the unknown and unwanted background character. That kind of living was the natural order.

She pressed the phone to her chest and heavily sighed. No use in entertaining such a wild imagination.

"You're still here?" a baritone voice coming from behind startled her, causing the phone on her chest to slid down and almost hit the floor. By some random luck, it landed in the hand of the male behind her. She whipped her chair around to retrieve the device but became horrified when the person observed the image on her phone. Acting fast, Mikan grabbed the phone out of his hand and shifted to the side to put some distance between them.

"E-Excuse me sir!" she quickly bowed. "T-T-This isn't w-what it appears to b-be," she stuttered.

The man standing before her scratched the back of his hair. "It's alright. Raise your head up," he said and Mikan timidly did so. "You're working overtime when you don't get paid past your scheduled hours?" Thank goodness he didn't comment on why his image was clearly on her phone screen.

"I was told that you needed the items on the list to be completed before tomorrow morning," Mikan responded, albeit rather nervously. She watched as her superior's eyebrows furrowed.

"I told that damn assistant to divide up the work, not give it to one person," he groaned, pinching the skin between his brows. "Okay, go home," he dismissed her.

"B-But sir I haven't finished yet!" Mikan exclaimed. "I don't want to burden you!" she said too loudly, ultimately embarrassing herself by the unexpected bravado. Her cheeks tinted pink but the mess of her hair concealed them.

"No, I'll finish it myself. It's late so go home," he told her.

"I insist that in the least, you should allow me to help you by dividing up the work. T-That is if you don't mind," Mikan shyly replied. She received a contemplating look but then had her offer accepted, to her joy.

As suggested, the two of them divided up the remaining items and got busy. Work seemed more fun having someone you admired doing the same things as you. When he wasn't paying attention, Mikan gazed at him, appreciating his features. His hair the color of raven feathers, the sharpness of his nose and the chiseled features of his jaw. Hyuuga Natsume was the definition of perfection.

They finished by the time the clock struck midnight and both were equally exhausted. Mikan gathered her belongings together and put on her cardigan.

Her boss came out of his office, turning the light off and closing the door behind him. He motioned Mikan to follow him as he walked over to the elevator. "I'll drive you home. It's too dangerous for you to be alone in this dead night," he said and Mikan didn't argue. For the first time, she would be a passenger in the car of a celebrity. Maybe she wasn't so unlucky.

"Thank you," she said to him while entering the vehicle.

"Address?"

"Oh yes, I don't live too far from the office. I can tell you where it is."

It was a fifteen-minute drive from the company building to the apartment complex she lived. In other words, she got to spend the best fourteen minutes of her life with the man she admired and she couldn't be more elated. In the last minute, she felt a bubbling sensation in her abdomen and thought it to be the mysterious butterflies in the stomach. But the gurgling that resonated in the car said otherwise. Mikan mentally screamed, now wanting to get out of the car as soon as possible. During the whole day, her bowels had not made any noise but decided to come out of its silence at a crucial moment.

"This is the place," she quickly said when the complex came in sight. The car doors unlocked and Mikan fumbled to get her purse, undoubtedly still flustered by the incident. She opened the door and shakily stepped out. "Thank you so much for the ride," she bowed and as she was fixing her stance, the car sped off. She pouted at the vehicle disappearing in the distance and then spun around to make a beeline for the complex door.

* * *

Mikan inserted her key into her apartment door keyhole and she could here scratches from behind the door. "Whiskers!" She happily greeted her cat by crouching to the floor and rubbing the back of the feline's ears. She wrapped her arms around the cat's torso and lifted it up, using her foot to kick the door closed.

"Did you miss me?" she said as she petted her cat's fur. She set him back down and walked over to her bedroom to get ready for a much needed shower. After stripping herself of her sweat soaked attire, she threw a towel on herself and went inside the bathroom. She felt refreshed after cleaning herself off and went out to put on a change of comfortable clothes. Her idea of comfortable was wearing an oversized t-shirt and baggy sweatpants. She walked over to her bed and gathered the blanket in her arms and then walked out of her room to settle down on the living room sofa.

Tonight was the premier of a new show she had been eyeing during commercial breaks and she wanted to check it out to see if it was worth the hype. The actors had been hidden for the purposes of preserving everyone's anticipation.

She draped her blanket around her body and grabbed the remote to turn on the television. Once she reached the desired channel, she picked up her phone and began dialing the number for the local chicken delivery restaurant.

"Can I have a box of wings and a side order of sweetened radish?" she ordered and then hung up after it was confirmed.

'And now we bring you the pilot premier of the hit new series, _The Young Old Woman_ ' came a voice from the television. Mikan shifted her body to lay down on the sofa. Whiskers scurried over and leaped on to the sofa to snuggle next to her which she happily welcomed.

'Starring Koizumi Luna and Shuichi Sakurano. Directed by Anju L. Narumi and produced by Serio Rei." Mikan's mouth gaped open upon seeing the unparalleled beauty on the screen who held the interest of the man she admired.

"When did she become an actress?" she said as she observed the moving images of Luna plastered on her screen. Her cellphone began ringing and she sat up abruptly. Her sudden movement caused Whiskers to jump down and run off in some unknown direction while Mikan picked up her call.

"Hello?" she said.

"Mikan," came the voice of Hotaru. "Are you watching the premier?"

"Yes I am. You would not believe who the actress is!" Mikan exclaimed.

"I know who it is, that's why I called you," Hotaru scoffed. "I'm amazed her subpar acting got her this far," she commented.

"Maybe she got better?" Mikan pondered. "Taking acting classes and practicing?"

"I doubt that's the reason. It's more believable that her face and body helped her land this role. Just listening to her voice is grating to the ears."

Mikan couldn't help but agree with Hotaru's statement. Luna was rather stiff and her lines sounded so unnatural. If she didn't improve anytime soon, the show's hype would quickly die down.

"And I was so excited for this show," Mikan sighed.

"Might as well watch it to the end. Put me on speaker," Hotaru said and Mikan did so, placing the phone on the armrest of the sofa.

The two continued watching the premier, making comments every now and then about how terrible Luna's performance was. Thirty minutes in, a knock came from her door and Mikan quickly got up.

"Chicken delivery!" said the person behind the door.

"Coming!" Mikan responded back and looked into her purse for her wallet. Once she found it, she walked to the door and opened it.

"Twenty dollars please," said the delivery man. Mikan handed him the cash and was given the box. "Thank you for your service," the man said and then jogged toward the stairs.

Mikan closed the door and walked back into the living room to place the box on the coffee table in front. She opened the lid and took a whiff of the fried poultry, her mouth watering in the process.

"You'll gain a lot of weight with all that chicken you keep eating," Hotaru said through the phone.

"I'll also be gaining protein and a satiated hunger," Mikan countered. She picked up a drumstick and bit into the savory food.

 _Bzzzt_

She looked down at her phone and saw a message notification from a friend of hers. "Sumire just texted me some link," she said to Hotaru. She opened the link and was surprised to see a flitter status that read: Engaged to Hyuuga Natsume. "What the-" Before she could continue, she received another link that showed Luna wearing what appeared to be an engagement ring.

"I think Luna just got engaged," Mikan said in disbelief. "I thought she had split up with Natsume when I couldn't find her photos on his page."

"Send me the link," Hotaru said. She promptly received the message and clicked on the link. "Take it with a grain of salt because I would know if my own cousin got engaged to that plastic woman."

"But why would she lie about such an important event?" Mikan questioned. "I can't see any reason to put it on social media if it isn't true." She didn't want to admit it but the idea of Natsume being engaged to Luna bothered her. Just when she thought they were done, her excitement had become short lived.

"We'll find out if it's true at the upcoming school reunion," Hotaru assured.

"Reunion?"

"You forgot about it."

It's not like she accidentally forgot. It was on purpose because she had no plans to go. Why be reminded that everyone had something going for them in their lives while she remained the same. Her high school memories were nightmares with the exception of the few good ones she made with her current friends. If she made a grand appearance at the reunion, surely the people who picked on her would have a field day.

"I don't want to go and be humiliated."

"If you dress up and take off those ridiculous glasses, I'm sure you'll be fine," Hotaru attempted to assuage her apprehension.

"Certain people will be there," Mikan pressed.

"Sono Kaname is an irrelevant who tricked you into dating him for seven days. That was eleven years ago. Get over it," Hotaru said in irritation.

"Okay and Natsume? How am I supposed to deal with that if Luna is really engaged to him?"

Hotaru sighed heavily. "If it's true then you'll need to get over your crush on him."

"I do not have a crush on him!" Mikan spouted.

"Alright you're undeniably in love with him," Hotaru said. It was a fact.

Mikan rubbed her temple. "What do you suggest I do then?"

"Change your current habits and try to adopt a new and less depressing outlook on life," Hotaru advised her. "Because if you don't fix that behavior, you're going to continue to brood and ultimately regret it in the end."

A part of Mikan knew Hotaru was right and that she should take her words seriously. Her friend wouldn't say anything unless she felt it important and Mikan knew she had her best interest at heart. However, to change herself seemed like an impossible task. It implied removing herself from the bubble of reclusiveness and putting herself out there. She couldn't just wake up one day a new and 'improved' person with the ability to tackle anything the world threw at her. Maybe she had gotten too comfortable living in the realm of bad luck.

"Remember that I only say this because I care about your wellbeing," Hotaru continued. "I have to go and tuck Mizuki in."

"Tell Mizu-tan I said I love her and she should have sweet dreams," Mikan said.

"Will do," replied Hotaru and the call disconnected.

Mikan turned her attention back to the screen. Koizumi Luna was making something out of her life, even if she couldn't act for her life. So shouldn't she use that as an opportunity/ picker up to set her life in motion?

 _Yura_

Mikan suddenly remembered the name of that mysterious woman who gave her the duped box of candy. She stood up and walked into the kitchen in search of the box. A golden glowing light shone from behind one of her cupboards and she opened it up to find the light emitting from the box. She took it out the cupboard and set it on the counter. Her fingers tentatively opened the lid and the candy inside still remained intact. She counted that there were twenty inside, each specially decorated with intricate wrapper designs. She felt the satin under the lid and paused, coming across a strange lining.

"There's something in there," She said as she opened the drawer in front of her to take out a pair of scissors. Carefully, she cut along the line until she could see what lay underneath the cloth. Inside was a necklace and a card that had written word on it. Mikan took the card and brought it closer to her face.

It read:

 **Welcome to your fate Sakura Mikan. These candies have been specially made for your consumption. Please follow the directions carefully because any mistake will lead you into a horrible fate.**

 **Please be mindful that each candy has its own side effects and will only show depending on your capability.**

 **Take only one whole candy in a 24-hour period. No exceptions or you'll face consequences. Its lasting impact will depend on you, the user.**

 **Refrain from sharing the candies and keep them safeguarded. Once the supply has diminished, you will not receive any more so be careful with what you decide.**

 **The candies cannot be thrown away so eat all of them to completion and in the correct order as numbered.**

 **The necklace is a protection charm so wear it at all times after taking the first candy. If you do not wear the necklace, you will face danger.**

 **Lastly, enjoy because you're in for a wild adventure ahead.**

"I must be going crazy to think some special effects lighting on a box with stale candy will change anything," Mikan laughed to herself and placed the card down. This had to be a practical joke. No way could sweets do anything for her.

" _Do you want to change your fate or not?"_

Those words spoken by Yura appeared in her mind. Her brows furrowed and she tapped the surface of the counter, trying to make a decision. She finally came to a conclusion and gazed back at the candies. She lifted the first candy and unraveled it.

It was fiery red.

"Here goes nothing." She plopped the hard delicacy in her mouth and bit down. A cinnamon flavor spread throughout her mouth as she chewed the candy until she swallowed. She waited to feel any significant changes in her body but felt none and frowned. "I knew this was a waste of time." Mikan closed the box lid in anger and turned around to go back to watching the show. Somehow, the room started to get blurry and turn dark. She soon found herself unconscious on the kitchen floor.

 _It was from this significant day my life began its drastic turn._

* * *

 **End Note** : Whew! I finally got the chance to work on this chapter. I'll hopefully upload the next chapter after I finish my final exams.

Thanks for reading and please follow up with a review!

 _Rated T for minor adult themes and language._

 **Proof-read** : 5/08/2017

 **Author: Napperon**


	3. Candy One: Who Am I?

**Beginning Note** : Not to confuse anyone but I changed my username. It originally was Napperon but I've changed it to BlossomingThought. This new username is more fitting for my current mindset. I'm in a phase in my life where I see myself maturing fast as I start gaining new perspectives of the world around me. I wanted a username that could represent this changing me and I saw BlossomingThought to be perfect.

 **Synopsis** : 29-year-old Mikan has had a lot of regrets in her life. Not confessing her feelings for a boy she once loved back in her teens, not sticking up for herself when it was necessary, and remaining the greatest pushover in history. But all that changes when she comes across a woman named Yura, who gives her a box of candy that is found to have magical abilities to make one younger again. Frustrated with herself, Mikan decides to take a piece one day and from then on, her life takes an unexpected turn when she wakes up with the mind and body of an extroverted 18-year-old.

 **Disclaimer** : this story is developed from the theme of the Chinese Movie _Suddenly Seventeen_. It does not follow the same plot nor will it ever. The only similarity will be the theme but all other input and plot is my own. In addition, Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana.

* * *

 **Candy One: Who Am I?**

* * *

 _Aggressiveness was not something I could particularly relate to._

 _Passive would be more accurate if someone gave me an adjective._

 _And without going into heavy detail, my life was filled with disappointments left and right._

 _I allowed insults and taunts that came my way to easily affect me. Or I completely disregarded them instead of tackling them at the moment they came._

 _I should have been stronger because then 29 wasted years wouldn't have passed._

 _I wouldn't have missed the opportunity to become someone important._

 _I wouldn't have skipped out on friend outings because I was afraid of the social experience._

 _I wouldn't have opted out of participating in school events since I worried about my lack of athleticism._

 _I wouldn't have held a grudge on everyone that slighted me, even if it was for the pettiest reason._

 _But I wanted to change all that and somehow, it worked in the strangest way possible._

* * *

Early morning sunlight peaked through the curtains of the living room window and the light dimly spread throughout the room, bits of it hitting the kitchen.

"Weather forecast for today predicts high temperatures with a bit of humidity," the newscaster on the television reported.

Whiskers trotted over to his unconscious human companion who had a dying glow surrounding her. He lowered his nose to her sprawled out hand and sniffed it, recognizing her scent to still be the same. The touch of his fur on his companion's skin caused her fingers to twitch. The hand clenched, making Whiskers jump back and hide behind the kitchen island. The feline watched as his companion regained consciousness and slowly sat up with her back against the wood of the island.

There was something different about her that he couldn't quite comprehend.

"Ow … how hard did I fall?" Mikan moaned, clutching her throbbing head. Whiskers crept out of his hiding place and slowly closed the distance between them, thereby alerting her. Mikan stared down at the cat who observed her with curiosity. "Oh my god! Kitty!" she exclaimed and lifted him into her arms. "You're so cute!" she gleefully said while muffling him in her embrace. Whiskers hissed and struggled to jump out of her arms due to her suffocating hold. Realizing how tight she held him, Mikan released him and stood up.

She stretched her arms out and followed Whiskers into the living room. The television set was still on so she grabbed the remote to turn it off. Upon doing so, she couldn't help but notice the leftover chicken delivery still sitting out on the table. However, when she got a closer glimpse of the food, she noticed pieces had been eaten from every drumstick.

"Bad kitty you ate my food!" she reprimanded her feline friend who was busy licking his fur than to take notice of her anger.

Mikan sighed to herself. Of course, the cat didn't care about eating her food. She shook her head and picked up the cellphone on the table to check the time, but unfortunately it ran on low battery. "There you have it," she said to herself and dropped the phone back on the sofa. Charging it could come at later time because right now she needed to brush her grimy teeth.

She walked over to her bathroom and faced the mirror. Taking off the thick rimmed spectacles, the first thing she noticed was the significant difference in visual perception. Her mirror image was considerably clearer and she didn't need to peer in so close to see her own face.

She could tell her prescription and her whole outlook wasn't the same.

No more bags under her eyes from not sleeping properly. Tiny creases forming at the corner of her eyes were no longer present.

And her lips. Her usually dry lips were perfectly plump with a hint of pink.

Her skin felt so much softer and smoother without the random bumps of adult acne on her cheeks.

The hazel iris she inherited from her mother were bright without any signs of tiredness.

Her brunette tresses had volume.

At last, looking down at her body, she saw the lift in her once low rise breasts. A feeling of giddiness overwhelmed her so much that she began jumping up and down.

"This is freaking amazing! I'm not a dump!" she cheered. Once her hyperactivity died down, she rested, placing both hands on her hips and cheekily grinned at her mirror image.

"Let's get this awesome day rolling," Mikan declared and ran out of the bathroom to open her laptop, playing a music playlist from MeTube.

A tune blared throughout the small apartment.

' _It's a whole new me, no ordinary gal'_

She raised the volume of the music and skipped over to the bathroom.

' _Living the dream, this I shall'_

She started singing along to the music and preparing for the day.

The act itself did not hold a place in her typical routine. Her initial idea of putting effort into her appearance meant combing her hair and putting on chapstick that worked opposite it's job.

Oh, how easy it was to wake up in the morning just to brush her teeth and wash her face. No need for cosmetics which she had no expertise in. If no one paid her any attention, then what was the point of taking the extra mile to groom herself. As long as she wasn't a smelly grease trap then why not?

Her wardrobe consisted of out of date hand me downs from her mother's closet. Credit to Mikan's mother's paranoia about beauty. She wanted to ensure that her daughter didn't fall victim to beauty standards that could upset the balance of the so called family curse. Mikan, however, didn't care about the curse and thought her mother needed psychological evaluation. Anyone who heard her speak would think the same.

She stepped out of the shower and dried herself off. Taking her glasses with her, she entered her bedroom in search of clothes. Whiskers was spotted casually lounging on her bed while waiting for his meal to be set out for him.

It proved a nuisance finding something suitable to wear because every clothing item reminded Mikan of an elderly woman's attire. She huffed in annoyance and admitted temporary defeat. A pair of denim jeans and the old lady dress shirt would have to do for now.

She decided a little shopping spree could fix the problem. She wore her glasses atop her head mentally scheduled herself to go to the optician to see if she could receive a new prescription. After turning off all appliances and her laptop, she grabbed her purse and dropped her phone into the hollow bag. She then quickly poured out food for whiskers, got her keys and left the apartment.

* * *

"Welcome to Rising Star Boutique. Do you need any assistance today?" a greeter said to Mikan as she walked into the flashy store. Distracting shiny lights hung along the pane of the opening, most likely to draw the attention of customers. The vast interior of the shop contained many different clothes and a mannequin at each corner dressed in a trendy outfit. The gleaming tiled floors were adorned with stars much like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, that led to different sections of the store like a pathway. Balloon lights hung from the ceiling, making the whole store look aesthetically pleasing.

Mikan stopped her gaping and turned her attention to the greeter. "Hi! I'm here to revamp my wardrobe because what I'm wearing is expired," she said pointing to her own attire.

The greeter stared her up and down with a red lipped smile. "Yes dear but do you mind me asking how old you are? You just seem rather young and I would assume a young lady your age would be in class now," she said.

So come consequences with the gift of youth.

Mikan smiled and beckoned the greeter to come closer, which she did. "Here's a secret between you and I," Mikan began. Weaseling her way out of this situation did not pose a challenge and she was ready for whatever hit her. "In reality, I'm a twenty-nine years old woman struggling with young face syndrome."

"Young face syndrome?" the greeter said with perplexity, brows raised.

"Yes! It's a troublesome gene only active in females within my family. Always causes misunderstandings because we often are mistaken for children," Mikan said as she feigned sadness to appeal to her sympathy. "I can't enjoy the life of an adult due to this cursed face and often resign to being a hermit until signs of aging show."

"Oh my! I had no idea about this issue." The greeter placed a hand over her chest.

"It's alright. Not many are aware of this rare genetic disorder. In fact, searching it up is futile as doctors don't care to research it since its dubbed unimportant."

Hook. Line. Sinker.

"I apologize for all that you have been through and for me being so ignorant," said the greeter.

"It's completely fine. Many people would kill to have this syndrome but they don't realize how terrible it is in the long run," Mikan replied, batting her eyelashes at the greeter for added dramatization.

"If you need anything please let me know. You have people like me supporting you."

"Thank you so much." If luck were real, this exchange would count as a result of luck. How gullible could the woman be? "May I please enter the store now?" she asked her.

"Definitely, we offer personal assistants in this shop helping you find clothing more your style. In fact, our newest employee will be more than happy to show you around."

Mikan nodded excitedly. "Sure!" she chirped and fully stepped into the store.

The greeter pulled out a tiny bell from her dress pocket and rung it. A tall male with silver hair sluggishly came to the front eyeing the greeter with a blank face. "Yes mom?" he said to her.

"He is my talented son Youichi who is training to become a designer. I assure you that anything he selects will be brilliantly made for you."

A young boy who appeared to be in his late teens, dabbling in the fashion industry? This would be interesting. Mikan craned her neck to smile at the tall boy. "It's nice to meet you Youichi. I'd be very happy having you help me today," she said.

"Let's go," Youichi deadpanned, his tone of voice causing Mikan to pout. She hoped their conversations would pick up in substance instead of him monotonously responding to her each time.

She waved at the greeter and followed Youichi to the women's young adult section.

"You don't have a sense of style," Youichi openly commented after getting a peek at her old-fashioned attire.

"Trust me I know her outfits look pretty outdated," Mikan replied.

"Her?" Youichi's brows furrowed. "Are you wearing someone else's clothes?"

"N-No, I meant _my_ outfits. Slip of tongue," Mikan nervously chuckled and scratched the back of her head.

"Okay." She was glad he didn't appear the type to probe for more clarification. He instead absorbed himself in scanning the clothes racks and picking up shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, one after the other. By the end of his scavenging, Mikan found herself carrying a heavy mountain pile for her to try on. "The changing room is all the way at the back of the store. Try on each outfit and we'll decide which style to go for," Youichi instructed her, pointing to the far off distance.

It took around two hours to finally try on everything but by the end of it, the both were very satisfied with the results.

"Will you be paying with cash or credit?" the cashier at the front desk asked her while in the process of folding the clothes into multiple shopping bags.

Mikan pulled out a card. "Credit," she said and the cashier swiped her card.

"Thank you for your purchase today. If you sign up for our store's membership, you can get first picks at discounted outfits for each cycle," the cashier said.

In a good mood, Mikan agreed to sign up. She gathered all the bags and happily walked to the entrance of the store.

"Thank you for shopping with us. You're welcome anytime," said the greeter.

"No thank you for having me," Mikan said and bowed her head then walked out. As she got further from the store, realization hit her. Not only did her arms carry the weight of ten plus bags, but she didn't own a car to put them in. In her rush to get new clothes, her conscious neglected the burden that would come after. Suddenly, the pounds on her arms felt like tons.

"No I have to deal with this until I get back," she said to herself although she wept inside. Her goal was to get the clothes and then change her prescription. Nothing would stop her from finishing that goal. She sucked it up and proceeded walking to the usual optician clinic that was located a couple blocks from her previous location.

The cool air of the building fanned her heated face and she revealed in the comfort it brought. People stared at her but she paid no mind to them as she walked to the information desk to sign in.

"I'm here to get my eyes checked," she said to the desk assistant. She handed her the clipboard and the assistant's expression changed.

"Are you sure you're Ms. Sakura?"

"Yes," Mikan said. "Why does everyone act so surprised?" It was warranted considering the contrast in appearance but Mikan solely focused on getting this check-up through.

"I'm sorry it's just that you look so different," said the desk assistant.

"And it's my business aside from when you need my insurance information to pay for my glasses, which I need a new pair or I'll be walking around blind as a bat," Mikan countered.

"I'll notify the doctor right away," the assistant hastily grabbed the telephone and paged the optician. "We have Ms. Sakura in for a check-up … yes … I'll send her in." She placed the phone back in its holder and stood up. "Right this way," she said to Mikan and led her to the optician's examination room. She closed the door behind her once Mikan got settled in the chair.

"It is amazing how many people are letting me get away with stuff," Mikan thought out loud. The door to the examination room opened and in came the optician who was Imai Subaru, Hotaru's older sibling.

He looked up from his papers and eyes slightly widened more than usual. "Your face is not the same," he stated and Mikan nodded. "I'm not going to ask what you had done," he said, making her sigh in relief. Although, she felt a bit miffed by his internal assumption that surgery had given her such beautiful visuals.

"My prescription changed and I need new glasses," Mikan told him.

"I'll need to do an examination first before I can list you for a new pair," he advised her.

"That's fine," she said. Subaru pulled up the machinery that checked her eyes and after a series of tests, he determined that her sight had indeed improved significantly and she could get a new pair of glasses. "Can I get contacts too?" she asked him after selecting a pair of circular shaped, but thin rimmed glasses.

"I don't see any issue in getting them as long as you know how to put them in," Subaru said.

"I'm sure it isn't hard."

"Depends on the individual but I'll give you a trial pair to see for yourself."

"Thanks, and throw in an order for a year supply," Mikan said. She wanted those contacts and she would make sure to get them.

"If you say so," Subaru shrugged and went through the necessary measures to get everything in order. "They should arrive by next week while the glasses will be ready within the next two days," he said as he finalized the order.

"Great have them shipped to my address please," Mikan said. She patted the table and gave Subaru thumbs up. "I'm out of here," she said to him and left the building.

She had new clothes, glasses to give her a new chic look and contacts on the way. How awesome could her day get?

* * *

"How in God's name does anyone put these silicon demons in?!" Mikan shouted in frustration after repeatedly failing to get the trial contacts to stay in place. She angrily flicked the contact into its container and huffed. She had managed to get one in but for some reason, the other had a rebellious side, not wanting to submit to her authority. "Behave!" she pointed a finger at the contact.

 _boom boom boom_

Loud banging coming from the apartment door caught Mikan's attention. She forgo putting the second contact in and jogged to the front door. Sliding the cover off the peephole, she saw Hotaru and Sumire standing there impatiently.

"Mikan you better be alive and answer this damn door!" Sumire yelled.

"We've been trying to get a hold of you all day," Hotaru added.

Mikan rolled her eyes at her friends' exaggerated behavior and unlocked the door. She opened it up, bracing herself for their reaction.

"For goodness sa-" Sumire stopped herself mid speech to take in her best friend's new image. "What the actual hell?"

"Geez, nice to see you too. Come in," she grabbed each female's hand and pulled them inside.

"Um …"

"You look like you're eighteen," Hotaru went straight to the point.

Mikan closed the apartment door and went to sit on her table, facing Hotaru and Sumire who sat on her sofa.

"Can I touch your face? This can't be real," Sumire said although she was already reaching for Mikan's face only to get her hands smacked away.

"You'd think I'm crazy if I told you the truth," Mikan said. Explaining that her other self ingested candy that made her young seemed like logical cause to check into an asylum.

"You have no choice," Sumire stated. "Explain how you changed so fast. I just saw you last week and this was not how you were," she demanded.

"Okay but promise you won't freak out," Mikan said, eyes searching their faces for any chance of disagreements.

"We do," Hotaru assured her.

"Wait let me guess. You got some kind of fast healing plastic surgery or Botox injections," Sumire suddenly asserted.

"What!" Mikan sputtered. "Are you insane? I'm a strong advocate for natural beauty which I clearly have."

"What's the name of the doctor? Hook me up so I can look nice for the reunion," Sumire pressed on. Hotaru shook her head at the curly headed girl's antics. Of course, she wanted in on the beautifying secret.

"Sumire stop it," Mikan snapped at her, clearly getting annoyed by her bombarding assertions.

"I'm serious! Was it expensive?" Sumire continued.

"No, it was free!"

"Aha! I knew you got work done," the overexcited perm hair friend gloated.

"No!" Mikan shouted at her. "A weird woman gave the other me a box of candy. She ate one and woke up like this … which I have no complaints about." A minute passed by and no one spoke. The other two simply stared at their friend like she had announced her pregnancy to them. "Your responses are running late. Did they miss the speaking bus?" Mikan frowned at them.

"I can't fathom how you managed to get tricked into something dangerous," Hotaru said her piece.

Mikan tilted her head to the side in wonder. "Does that mean you believe me?" she asked.

"I suppose you wouldn't lie as you are a known truther and horrible liar," chimed Sumire.

"I'm pleasantly surprised that you two are taking this well."

"Can we see the candy?" Hotaru asked her. Mikan got the box then headed back into the living room. She knelt to the ground and placed the box on the table in front of them with the lid lifted.

"I'll admit that this is really weird and any other person would have thought you're a psycho. But since we're best friends, I believe you," Sumire said, she gave Mikan a smile and reached for a piece of candy. However, an electric current ran down her finger when she got close to the delicacy, causing her to yelp. "That really hurt!" she exclaimed, waving her bruising finger.

"Are you okay?" Mikan said, worried for her friend.

"It's alright, I'm not dead," Sumire said to assuage her worries despite the throbbing pain.

"Something tells me whoever gave you this box doesn't want other people eating the candy," said Hotaru in her skeptical mood.

"Not only do I have the candy, the box came with a necklace and instructions on this card." Mikan took out the card from its slot and read it to them.

"Okay but what purpose does the necklace serve?" Sumire inquired. She was about to get a hold of the jewelry but Mikan intercepted her.

"Haven't you learned your lesson? Don't touch it or you might get shocked again," she chided her.

Sumire rose her hands up in defeat. "Sorry force of habit," she said and nudged Hotaru jokingly.

"Judging by what the card says, it's safe to assume these effects are only temporary. We should do research on it before you decide to take another piece," Hotaru advised. She reached for her cellphone in her purse and sent out a text to Ruka. "I'll let Ruka know I won't be coming home tonight so we can stay up and figure this out," she notified them.

Feeling a bit guilty for taking Hotaru's attention away from her family, Mikan spoke up. "Are you sure? I don't want to take up your time especially when you have a kid at home," she said.

"Ruka will be fine with Mizuki. Right now, we need to fix this problem and get you back to normal," Hotaru responded.

Fixed.

Nothing about her situation needed fixing. A blessing in disguise treated like a problem. She couldn't allow it to be gone so soon, not when she hadn't made big improvements. Maybe for now, she would go along with it but as soon as the chance arrived, nobody would stop her.

"If I'm being honest, Mikan doesn't look that bad. In fact, this is a great miracle that waited to make its dramatic entrance in her life," Sumire noted, making Mikan silently glad that one other person appreciated her new self.

"Let's be serious Sumire. This candy allegedly turns her into an eighteen-year-old girl when she's twenty-nine years old. People aren't going to react well to her sudden change and will speculate." Hotaru frowned at her and crossed her arms. "You automatically assumed plastic surgery and that's what others will believe too."

"I admit that you have a point but at least give this Mikan a chance," Sumire rolled her emerald irises.

"I second that and the right to not have to listen to anything you say," Mikan inserted with a hand raised.

"We'll make final decisions later after doing research tonight," Hotaru countered firmly. From her mood, she clearly didn't like the idea of there being another version of her best friend. This one had a mouth that could speak and Hotaru couldn't help but be worried for her. She needed to find a way to save her from whatever it was this crazy mysterious woman gave her.

And so, the three of them began a late night investigation of the candy, but it took very long because there were virtually no reports of people aging backwards. Many times, 'This person has found the secret to youth: doctors hate her/him' advertisements came on the list of search results. Sumire threatened to throw her cellphone if she saw another one of those bogus clickbait ads. Very exhausted from staring at her laptop screen for so long, Mikan retired to her bedroom early, leaving the two to take charge of the search. Her beloved feline friend decided to keep the two company while she slept.

The next morning, yelling erupted from the living, causing Mikan to wake up and bolt out of her bed. Her legs became tangled with the sheets that she fell face first to the carpet floor. After managing to escape the trap of sheets, she hurried out the bedroom shouting, "Whiskers!" but screamed when instead her two best friends were sitting in her living room grinning at her laptop screen.

"What are you two doing here!" Mikan exclaimed.

Hotaru and Sumire tore their attention away from the screen and simultaneously gasped.

"She turned back to normal," Sumire commented as a matter of fact.

"I can see that," Hotaru said.

"Can either of you answer my question? Did I invite you last night?" She walked over to them, ruffling her hair. "Why is my vision in both eyes distorted? It's like I can see in one eye but the other is blurry," she questioned.

"Mikan honey, you should sit down," said Sumire who guided her friend to the sofa. "We came over last night and discovered you consumed candy that makes you young. But now that I see you, the effects have worn off."

From the puzzlement in her expression, Hotaru was one hundred percent sure Mikan did not remember last night's events. "We can write down memory loss as a side effect," she said.

"Do you at least remember that you took the candy?" Sumire asked.

"That much I can remember … eating candy but then I woke up in my bed this morning," Mikan said. "I don't know what happened to me in between. I took the candy thinking I would become young but I still feel the same."

"The candy did work. You did become young again," Hotaru revealed to her.

"But now you look the same," Sumire pointed out.

"Oh my goodness how could I not remember any of that? It defeats the purpose if I'm not in control of myself when I take the candy," Mikan groaned. She started biting at her fingernails.

"That's what I discovered after doing my research. We found the person who gave you the candy and she's rather sketchy," Hotaru said, pulling up the information on the laptop. "She has a whole secretive business designed to fulfill the wishes of people with many regrets in life."

"There's no direct address you can reach her at because she comes to you," Sumire added.

"In other words, don't trust anything she says," Mikan concluded.

"That's a decision for you to make on your own," Sumire interjected before Hotaru could say anything. "Not that I don't already love who you are, but last night's Mikan was so different. She oozed confidence and I want this Mikan to be just like her." Hotaru glared at Sumire for cutting her off but couldn't say a word because of Sumire's unrelenting vocalization. "Maybe you should take the candy again and see how it works for you because I don't think the woman is trying to poison you. It could be a big step in the right direction."

"You just want her to look pretty," Hotaru retorted.

"She already looks pretty," Sumire emphasized but she sneakily kicked Hotaru's leg only to receive retribution in the form of a smack to the head. "Ow!"

"Please don't fight over this," Mikan pleaded with them. "I'll make the decision and I'm sure I want to take the candy. Why let it go to waste?"

"And go ahead with the added amnesia while you're at it," Hotaru snubbed

"She can record messages in between personas for her to stay connected," suggested Sumire.

Hotaru crossed her arms and leaned back on the sofa. "The idea isn't dumb but I still feel wary about it," she shared. "It's easy to lose sight of what you intended to do, when you have this power. And you may end up using it for wrong motives."

"What do you mean?" Mikan inquired from her. She had no motives to do wrong. At least she didn't think she wanted something greater out of it.

"Tell me you weren't suddenly willed to take the candy the night before because of Luna's supposed engagement to my cousin," Hotaru answered.

Mikan hesitated to respond because she herself couldn't understand what her true goal was. She tried to rack her brain why she so badly desired change. Was it for a transformation? What kind of change constituted a good one?

"From our last conversation over the phone, I told you to get over him because I know the type of person he is. Natsume is a known sucker for beautiful women. He'll be bewitched one moment but then dump you the next once he's had his fill," Hotaru's voice drew her out of her train of thought.

"As long as she doesn't get caught in his womanizing ways I'm sure she'll be fine," Sumire remarked.

"We don't know how capable her other self is," snapped Hotaru. "Why do you keep undermining me?"

"I'm not trying to. You just make it easy to with your overly cautious ways," Sumire bit back.

"Your reckless decisions are what gets you into trouble. How many times have I bailed you out?" scoffed Hotaru.

"Can you two please stop arguing for once? I thought you were helping me. Recording myself is a fantastic idea that'll help me gain control of my other self. I can also recall what happens during her reign over my mind," Mikan interrupted to burst the bubble of expanding tension. "I'll have her document what each candy does to me so we can get a better idea of its effects."

"Okay," Hotaru said in defeat, though visibly still vexed by the heated exchange. She pulled out her phone and opened the camera application. She raised it up to be at face-level with Mikan. "Say what you want to say to her," she said and pressed record.

Mikan cleared her throat and tucked her disheveled hair behind her ears. "Hello other me. I am the older version of you and I have a very important message to relay to you."

"Don't sound so robotic. You're talking to yourself," Sumire said.

"Right."

"And relax," Hotaru included.

"Okay I'll do it again. Re-record," Mikan motioned for Hotaru to start the video. "Hello Mikan, it's the older you. It appears that my memory is gone after taking the first candy. To ensure both our safety, we should communicate with one another by sending video messages to each other. I took the candy for a purpose you are aware of. I want to be more confident and capable of anything. Please help me fulfill my wish. Thank you very much." She finished with a bow and waved at the camera before Hotaru pressed stop.

"That was great!" Sumire clapped her hands.

"I'm sending the video to your phone. You need to charge it before taking the candy again," Hotaru reminded her. It would be spell bad news if she transformed without have the videos safety hold on her other self.

"I'll do it right now." Mikan stood up and went to her room to find her charger but was met with shock at the number of shopping bags in the room. She peeked through each bag and pulled out the clothing inside. "Oh no," she said to herself while angrily dumping the clothes out of the bags. She threw one of the bags in frustration and whipped her body around to go back into the living room.

"I need to see my laptop," she told Hotaru who still had it on her lap. Her friend immediately gave it back to her and Mikan typed away. "I knew it. She used my credit card to buy so many things!" She wept at the thought of seeing her next credit card statement. "Let me record another video," she sniffed. Hotaru wordlessly opened the camera application again and pressed record. Mikan began speaking, "We need to set some rules and boundaries. My credit card cannot be used for unnecessary purchases. You went overboard with the clothes and I only earn so much to feed myself and Whiskers. My livelihood will be ruined if you don't listen. Also with the clothes you bought, please dress modestly or you'll ruin my reputation." Hotaru pressed stop and proceeded to send the video.

"You sound ridiculous right now." Sumire tried to contain her laughter.

"It's not funny! She took my card to buy clothes, a new pair of glasses and contacts. There's no telling what else she'll do next. Now I'm having doubts about letting her in my life," Mikan griped.

"We'll help you pay off your next bill," Hotaru said and Sumire nodded. Every day she was reminded how blessed she was to have such remarkable and helpful friends. They were always there to help her and she truly appreciated it.

Mikan looked at them teary eyed and placed her laptop down to hug them. "I don't deserve you ladies as my best friends," she cried. The two hugged her back.

After the meeting with the three friends, they came to a consensus that Mikan needed to wait a few days before taking the candy again. That way her plan of action could be strategically set out before reintroducing the younger Mikan to the world. Luckily, it was a weekend that she could relax before having to go to work on Monday. Mikan recorded another video diary informing her other self of her duties required of her in preparation for that day.

Come Monday, Mikan woke up and wrote a note to herself, taping it to her apartment door. She went to the kitchen to consume the next candy.

Unraveling it, the color was mellow yellow.

She plucked the candy into her mouth and taste the flavor of mango and lemon. She swallowed and sat on the ground in case another dizzy spell would leave her plummeting. The candy's powers began its works much faster than the first. It took twenty minutes for it to finally take effect on her body.

Younger Mikan finally woke. She jumped up and skipped out of the kitchen, noticing the paper taped to the apartment door.

"To my other self, please watch the video diaries on your cellphone before leaving the apartment. From twenty-nine years old Mikan," she read. The cellphone was readily placed on the key table next to the door. She unlocked the phone and started playing each video. A tick formed on her head when she got to the second video of her older self complaining about the credit card purchases. Mikan immediately started a reply video saying, "I understand what you want me to do and I'll totally listen. But in my defense, your clothes were super ugly and I did you a favor. I'm dressing to turn heads in your direction. Enjoy!" She stopped the video and smiled to herself. One day her other self would thank her. She started humming and went to get herself ready for work.

Success came her way when she managed to get both trial contacts in after a lot less attempts. She washed her face and applied sunscreen lotion. She then side parted her hair and curled it in waves. Her outfit was a white, over the shoulders sundress with red polka dots. On her feet, she wore a forgotten pair of red pumps that had ribbons on the back.

Satisfied with her appearance, Mikan rose two thumbs up then gathered her belongings.

Today, she would walk to work hoping for the whole world to admire her.

"Bye kitty!" She kissed Whiskers and left the apartment.

As expected, there were many onlookers wondering who this young beauty was. A couple whistles were thrown her way but she ignored them. She got to the office building and smirked to herself at the thought of the reaction she would receive from her coworkers. She mentally cheered herself on and took a step inside.

Heads turning. Many whispering.

"Is that a high school intern?" someone whispered to the person beside her.

"I have no idea. Never seen her before in my life," the person whispered back.

"There's something familiar about her though. I've seen someone who looks like a less attractive version of her," another said.

"I can hear everything each of you are saying," Mikan loudly announced to her gawking audience. They all went silent and scrambled away. "You don't have to run away! I promise I don't bite," she said after the dispersing crowd. When they didn't listen to her, she shrugged her shoulders and went to the elevator that luckily opened right as she stepped got to it. She stepped inside and pressed the number 14 button to her division's floor. The elevator remained empty for a few floors but opened three floors away from her division. In came a tall man holding a brief case and busily scrolling through his phone.

"What floor?" Mikan asked him.

"Fourteenth," the man said, attention still on his phone.

"Oh, that's the same floor as me," Mikan said and raised her head to look up at him. It was then she recognized the man who shared the lift with her was none other than Hyuuga Natsume. By some strange coincidence, his crimson irises met her hazel ones at the same time.

And for the first time in her life, Mikan witnessed the monumental moment of Hyuuga Natsume experiencing disbelief.

"Sakura?"

 _Something about Hotaru's words rubbed me the wrong way, even though they were said with good intentions. I wish I understood it during that time._

* * *

 **End Note:** If you watched the _Seventeen Again_ movie you should notice the similarity of trying to communicate with oneself through video message in this chapter.

 _Understanding the glasses_ : This is a response to one of the reviews! Mikan's glasses are not supposed to symbolize mediocrity. In fact, I only placed emphasis on her original pair because it was a way for me to introduce the idea of her getting new ones. Also, I personally don't see her as mediocre as an individual but someone who has room for improvement. She needs to gain confidence in who she is.

The overarching theme of this story is "Being your best self." That doesn't mean becoming a beauty that people suddenly pay attention to is the idea of being one's best self. It'll become clearer as the plot progress. I appreciate that review pointing it out. Sorry for the confusion! C:

Throughout the development of this story, you may come across common tropes or stereotypes that I will be using to synthesize a message or messages. Don't focus too much on the trope or stereotype itself but its overall significance.

Thanks for reading and or reviewing!

 _Rated T for minor adult themes and language._

 **Proof-Read** : 5/23/17

 **Author: BlossomingThought formerly, Napperon**


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